Instagram’s Latest Feature: IGTV

Everyone’s favorite social app has released a new feature that serves as an extension of its Stories feature, IGTV. This new feature enables users to share vertical videos with their followers that are longer than 15 seconds. IGTV can be accessed through the Instagram app but is also its own standalone app. Within the app, users can find different channels to follow and see the videos that their followers upload.

With the recent popularity rise of vertical videos, it was only a matter of time before one of the big social networks released a feature that would encompass everything that people love about them. At first glance, IGTV does share some similarities between Snapchat Stories by giving users the ability to have longer videos. But, unlike Snapchat, Instagram has always allowed people to connect through the discovery feature. And it shares common ground with YouTube by having channels and being a hub for long-form videos, but it will be strictly vertical-video and users will only have to swipe up to see other recommended videos. IGTV will not interrupt the vertical video view or minimize the screen.

It will be interesting to see what new levels this app will take marketing to. Brands and agencies have relied on YouTube to feature content by influencers and other creators, but now they have IGTV. This could increase the base price of influencers if video creation is part of their contracts. An important thing to note is that some influencers have a bigger following on YouTube, and the transition from horizontal long-form to vertical long-form might not work for some. In the end, it will all come down to how brands and content creators adapt to IGTV.